The new Nike Vapor Premier uniforms that teams are going to wear during the 2024 season have been met with criticism by many players and fans, putting MLB in a tough spot with just over a month until Opening Day.
The biggest complaint among players have been the see-through nature of the pants, while fans do not like the smaller numbering and lettering on the back of the jerseys.
With Spring Training underway, the Players Association (MLBPA) stepped in to see if corrections can be made to the uniforms in time for the regular season.
After receiving feedback from players, Nike and Fanatics are in the process of adjusting the size of the jersey and bottom of the pants to provide a more comfortable uniform for Opening Day, via Lindsey Adler and Andrew Beaton of The Wall Street Journal:
An MLB spokesperson said Thursday that representatives of the league, Nike and Fanatics have been visiting training camps to solicit feedback on the uniforms “based on player requests, adjustments are being made to jersey size, waist, in-seam, length, thigh fit and the bottom of their pants.” The statement added: “The goal of these meetings is to provide players with the most comfortable uniforms available for Opening Day.”
Despite public perception, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred clarified that the new uniforms were designed by Nike and not Fanatics. Fanatics doesn’t have the greatest reputation among fans due to the quality of their materials, which led many to believe they were the source of the issues.
According to Nike, the high-performance fabric of the new template was made from at least 90% recycled polyester yarns and provides 25% more stretch and allows the jersey to dry 28% faster with moisture-wicking Dri-Fit ADV technology.
Nike signed a 10-year contract to become MLB’s official uniform supplier prior to the 2020 season.
Michael Rubin: Fanatics following instructions for MLB jersey
During an appearance at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Fanatics founder and CEO Michael Rubin said that while his company is manufacturing MLB uniforms, they simply are following meticulous details from Nike.
While the majority opinion is that the new MLB jerseys have declined in quality, Jason Heyward recently said they feel more authentic and praised the materials of the fabric.
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